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Harbor Development Committee

Meeting Minutes

Committees: Harbor Development Committee

Pedestrian Bridge Crossing Notice:

December 2012 - The Harbor Development Committee has made an application to the Community Preservation Committee for funding for a pedestrian bridge to Whitney Wharf under the Community Preservation Act. This pedestrian bridge will increase public access to Hingham Harbor and will provide for safer access to Whitney Wharf. Please see below two artist renderings of the proposed bridge. The HDC encourages public input on this application to the CPC and we would welcome any feedback.

Overview at Whitney Wharf and Town Pier (PDF)

Drawing: Hingham Harbor Proposed Pedestrian Bridge Crossing (PDF)

Please provide feedback via letter to the Harbor Development Committee, 210 Central Street, Hingham or via attendance at our monthly meetings.

Event Calendar

Important Documents and Links:

• Harbor Master Plan Report (4.3 MB, PDF)
• Harbor Master Plan Handout  (124k, PDF)
• Harbor Plan Renderings (623k, PDF)
• Harbor Master Plan Image (299k, PDF)

2010 Annual Report

Waterfront access and Hingham Harbor related issues continued to receive increased citizen involvement during the past year as several initiatives were discussed and introduced by our Committee, the Selectmen created Harbor Development Task Force (on which the Committee is represented) and through the continued efforts of Harbormaster Ken Corson.

The dredging of the Inner Harbor was completed in February of 2010 and a new mooring plan was implemented based on the Harbormaster's efforts working with Coastline Engineering to optimize the number of moorings and in segregating power boats from sail boats and vessels by size. The end result of these efforts was that there are now 230 moorings in the Inner Harbor vs. the 160 that previously existed and despite this drastic change/increase there were minimal issues with the public from this change. The Harbormaster also optimized the mooring field for the waters off World's End which have always been an extremely popular destination for groups of boaters particularly on weekends. These mooring optimization efforts resulted in increased net revenues to the Town, significantly shorter waiting lists and improved utilization for boaters with less navigational conflicts. The Committee worked with the Harbormaster in the fall of 2010 and held a public hearing to discuss an optimization plan for the moorings located on the public tidelands off the Hingham Yacht Club to similarly segregate vessels by type/length/draft etc. while minimizing navigational issues. This plan should come to fruition in 2011.

The Harbor Development Committee was represented at the Hingham Harbor Planning Task Force meetings this past year by members Nick Amdur (this Committee's former Chairman) and Alan Perrault. The Selectmen established the Task Force in 2009 to create a new study group represented by those elected and appointed Town Boards, Committees and employees with various stakes in the Inner Harbor such as the Planning Board, the Town Planner, the Bathing Beach Trustees, the HDIC, the Harbormaster, the Selectmen and our Committee. Through this group's efforts this past year, several initiatives that our Committee has championed were instituted including a trial geese control management program, zoning changes which allow more flexibility for non-conforming lots, permitting accessory use snack shops on both public and private parcels, etc.

It was the consensus of the Task Force and Board of Selectmen that certain topics fielded by the Task Force in 2009-2010 should be vetted further by our Committee going forward. To this end, in the Fall of 2010 our Committee established our own "task list" of short and long term initiatives for the Harbor and the Waters of Hingham. These topics include:

• Undertake a full feasibility study on the Town Marina concept.
• Continue to monitor annual contributions to the dredging fund and ensure that we are prepared for the next inner harbor dredging cycle.
• Assess the cost, benefits and impacts of a waterfront boardwalk with and without a pedestrian bridge between Whitney Wharf and 3 Otis Street.
• Analyze the potential establishment of an enterprise fund for Hingham Harbor.
• Partner with other committees, organizations and private companies to sponsor kayaking programs and work to improve "car-top" boating access.
• Improve access to Steamboat Wharf, the Back River and the Bouve Property and linkages between Whitney Wharf, former Mobil Station property and Veteran's Park, also between Hingham Square and the Inner Harbor.

The Committee would like to note the significant contributions made on our behalf during the past several years by former members Nick Amdur, David Beal and Adrienne Ramsey.